unions

About 30 members of the United Mine Workers Union of America from the Deer Creek coal mine located near Huntington, Utah gathered outside of the Gallivan center Friday to tell people they’re concerned about their safety. Right now they are in the middle of contract negotiations with their employer, Energy West Mining, who they say is planning to cut safety provisions. The proposal includes eliminating 11 of the unions 14 safety representatives. Union spokesman Brad Timothy says that won’t keep them safe.

Jim Judd was a firefighter who worked his way up through his union to become the head of the state's largest labor organization, the Utah AFL-CIO. He died Friday morning from the injuries he suffered in a motorcycle accident in Missoula, Montana.

He was also vice-chairman of the Utah Democratic Party. State Senator Karen Mayne says he was someone legislators from both parties could trust.

"He had good skills of figuring things out and networking, and negotiating and making everyone feel part of the movement and part of whatever committee he was on," Mayne told KUER.